Tractor.



L. B. FlSH.

TRACTOR.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE I8, I91

1,278,452. Patented Sept. 10,1918.

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L. B. FISH.

TRACTOR. I APPLICATION FILED JUNE 18. I917.

1,2 78,452., V PatentedSept. 10,1918.

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L. B. FISH.

TRACTOR.

APPLICATION mm 11m: 18, 1911.

Patented Sept. 10, 1918,

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L. B. FISH.

TRACTOR. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 1a. 19!?- 1 78,452. 1 Patented Sept. 10,1918.

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LESLIE B. FISH, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

TRACTOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 10, 1918.

Application filed June 18, 1917. Serial No. 175,314.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LESLIE B. FISH, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Tractors, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to tractors, and contemplates improvements in theconstruction and propulsion of such machines. One 0bject is to constructa tractor the drive members of whichshall constitute a large tractivearea and shall be mounted so as to cause no strain on the machineirrespective of the character or contour of the ground or surface overwhich it passes. This object is attained by the employment of aplurality of drive members, some of which are mounted in an oscillatoryor rocking frame, so that in passing over anelevation or into adepression the drive and steering members will properly engage theground, that is, the action of these parts is not impaired,

even though the ground be rough or undulating. Another object of myinvention is the construction of a machine which shall have a maximumpower with a minimum of parts, such parts being readily accessible. Afurther object of my invention is to obviate the use of gearing andsubstitute therefor chain and sprocket mechanism from the engine to thetractor wheels, and inclose such mechanism in housings. These housings,in addition to preventing the ingression of dirt, sand or foreignmaterial,

' form receptacles for oil or any liubricant,

so as to reduce friction to a minimum.

My invention will be better understood by reference to the accompanyingdrawings, in which,

' Figure 1 is a top view of a tractor embodying the features of myinvention, some of the parts having been removed so as to clearly showthe construction;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged end view of the machine;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged side view of the mechanism forming the subjectmatter of my invention; and

Fig. 4 is a top view of the parts shown in Fig. 3, some of the partsbeing shown in section so as to clearly reveal the construc tion.

The supporting frame 10 is constructed by the use of channel-shapedmembers 11, 12

and 13, and also intermediate members'14 and 15. To this frame aresuitably secured downwardly extending members 16, 17 and 18, whichsupport the main shaft 19, as

clearly shown in Fig. 4. Pivotally mounted upon this shaft is anauxiliary or rocking frame 20, preferably'constructed of channel beams,and which has bearings 21 and 22 secured thereto, and through which theshaft 19 passes. The frame 20 also has secured at its front end,bearings 23 and 24, which are movable upon said frame, each of saidbearings having elon ated slots 25 and 26, respectively, throug whichpass bolts 27 and 28, respectively. Each of these bearings is providedwith an upwardly ex,- tending lug 29, which is engaged by a screw 30held by a lug 31 fastened to the frame 20. The bearings 23 and 24support a shaft 32, which has secured thereon a sprocket 33 over whichis trained a chain 34, which also is trained over-a sprocket 35 securedto the shaft 19. Integral with the sprocket 35 is a similar sprocket 36,over which is trained a chain 37 which engages a sprocket 38 mountedupon a shaft 40 which is carried by bearings 41 and 42, which aremounted upon the frame 20. These bearings are adapted to be moved bymeansof the abutment screws 43, when desired, upon loosening nuts 43which engage bolts 44 passing through elongated slots 45. These boltsare secured to the frame 20, and, as shown in Fig. 3, have sleeves 46which act as spacing members between the flanges of the channel beams,the purpose being to secure a more rigid construction. The bearings 23,24, 41 and 42 are movably mounted upon the frame 20, so as to tighten orloosen the chains 34 and 37 when desired. The shafts 32, 19 and 40 havesecured thereto the traction wheels 47, 48 and 49, respectively, which,as shown in the drawings, are provided with lugs 50 for gripping theground. The chains 34 and 37 and their associated sprockets are inclosedby means of a housing 51, which is preferably made in two parts so as tobe easily assembled. These housings protect the chains and sprocketsagainst unnecessary wear, and they also serve as containers for alubricating medium, so as to reduce .the'Wear on the parts to a minimum.'As is shown particularly in Fig. 4, the shafts 32 and 40 pass throughelongated slots 52 and 53, respectively, which are closed by plates 5 1ands-L55;respectively, said nplateshbei-ng, held in place by means ofspringsv 56, and- 57 These slots serve to permitthe necessary movementsof the shafts'32 and 10 with respect to the shaft 19 When necessary.Asis shown in the drawings, the housing is supportedmainlyby the shaft19, andany rocking movement of the frame 20 will of course rock thehousing also. The shaft-'19 has looselymounted thereon a Wheel 58 whosehubbears against'theextension 18-, and also asleeve 59- secured to'saidshaft. The hub is provided with aclutch portion 60 adapted for operativeengagement with clutch member 61-=upon-actuation 0fthe'lever 62 pivotedat 63 to extensions- 6a fastenecl-to the member 15, 'theidea'" beingthat this wheel 58 'in=-1nanyinstances may be runas an idler and atbthertimes" it is desirable to-ha/ eit act-as a tractionor power wheel.

The'traetoris preferably drivenas follows: I

il-he shaft 19 has secured thereto a sprocket- '65 over'whichis trainedabhain 66-,-wh ich also engages a. sprocket '67 secured to a jack shaft68 which is rotatablywmounted -ii;1'bearings (secured to=the members 14and 15. -A- large 'sproQjketGE) is carried on this-jack shaft, and'chain' TO- which-is trained over this sprocket is also :trained overa-sprocket 7 1 -on theshaft 72 of the engine" '7 3,"Wl1lCh is suitablymounted'upon the-members, 14: and 15. A-su'itable' housing74e-incloses-"the chain.66 and "its associated sp,rockets, and asimilarhousing 75. incloses ithe sprockets 69; and 71. These housingsare adapted to-contain a lubricating medium, and they also serve toprevent dirt and sandfroin'gain'ing access to the operating parts.Theframe '10' 'has' fastened thereto a chain 76,- which is also fastenedto the frame 20 and serves to limit the oscillating or rocking movementsof said' frame .When the wheels are passing over uneven or undulatingsurfaces. I

The steering of ;the,tractor is accomplished by means-of asteering'whe'elW mounted in a fork 7B Whose upper end is carried in .acasting? 9 secured to the frame 10. The fork terminates in a Worm Wheel80 adapted to mesh with a Worm 81 secured toa rod 82 terminating, in asteering wheel=83 suitably support-edjby the" frame.

It Will be apparent" from the foregoing "description that my: tractorembodies mechanism wherein the tractor -membe-rs are adapted to: ustthemselves to the contour of the grounder surface over whichthey passand" these wheels are construc'ted -so that 1 collectively they behavedan extremely large aLea of engagement with the ground.

- Vention, I do not wish to be limited to the precise arrangement shown,inasmuch as it will beu apparent to those skilled in the art thatchanges and modifications may be made-Without departing from the spiritand scope of my invention.

I desire to secure the-following claims: 5 1. Ina tractor, :thecombination-of a slipportingl'hfra-me, -an--e1'1gine,: a main shaft,sprocket and chain" mechanism disposed-between-said engine and mainshaft wheels mounted on said-shaft, means for causing. one or both ofSR-ld-WhQGlS-itO be driven as desired, an auxiliary frame rotatablycarried bysaid main *Sha fty front. andrear power 1 Wheels mounted v inand surrounded by said i auxiliary frame,.= and-ichain and sprocketmeans for "driving said L'POWBI Wheelsfrom saidshaft. 1

25 Ina tractor, the combination oft-a asupp-o1-'ting -frame,:an engine,la main shaft, sprocket and chain mechanism disposed abetween said engineand main 1 shaft, Wheels mounted on said --=shaft, -means for causingone or bothof SiLlCl-WVhGB'lS "to be driven as desired, an oscillatoryauxiliary frame carried by said main shaft, afrontaaand' rearpowenwheels mounted: in and surrounded by said auxiliary :frame,:=cha-inand-sprocket means for driving said power wheels: from chain andsprocketmeans.

" Ina tractor, the'comblnation of asupporting frame, :an eng-ine, a mainshaft,

-sprocket and chain mechanism disposed between -saidengineuand main,shaft Wheels mounted on saidshaft, means for causing one or both ofsaidwheels. to .be "driven as desired, an auxiliary rectangular framerotatably carriedxby said shaft, front-and irear power wheelsmounted.inzisaid auxiliary frame, and chain and: sprocket means for drivingsaid'ipowernwheels from said shaft. 4L. In- :a t-ractor, ;the comhinat1on"of a -'-frame, an engine; aimainshaft, sprocketand chainmechanism disposed between-saiidg entangular rock-ingzfra-me carried-byssaid rounded by said rocking frame, and-chain and sprocketrmechanismfor :driving -said traction WllGGlSl from SflldiiShZtft.

Lnsmneniinisn.

I-"G-qpies of this-patentmaybe-obtained for five-cents: eaeh,' by,addnessingthe iifiommissioner o f latents,

' WashingtomlDaCP said-shaft, and Binclosin-g frames. forsaid V shaft,traction wheelszmou-nted -inzand sur-

